Tangled Up in Blue
by Xaphrin
Summary: After the final battle, our heroes rest for a moment and Midna is forced to face her emotions. Including her love for the awkward farm-hand. Innocent one-shot.


**Tangled Up in Blue**

We always did feel the same,  
We just saw it from a different point of view

_Tangled Up in Blue,_ Bob Dylan

)O(

Midna fiddled with the edge of the tent flaps, her heart slamming against her ribs. The fabric felt heavy and worn against her fingers, like it was almost familiar to her. Crickets chirped cheerfully in the background, singing a sweet song of victory, completely unaware of the new battle that was taking place. Groaning more to herself than to anyone else, she turned away and walked away from the shelter of the small grove of trees to the clearing next to the pond. She took a deep breath, tasting the crisp, clean scent of twilight on her tongue.

"He's resting."

Midna jumped and turned around to face the soft, innocent features of Princess Zelda. There was a musical chime as her jewelry moved with her, and Midna winced, wondering if the noise could have woken up her hero. She cleared her throat and took a few more steps away from their small campsite, trying not to disturb him. "I know… he deserves a little rest."

Zelda snorted inelegantly. "A little?"

Midna felt the sly smile touch her lips before she had a chance to stop it. "I suppose he deserves a lot more."

"Mm…" Zelda took a few steps toward her companion, but let the silence build between them. Midna knew what she was going to ask, knew what she was going to suggest, and she didn't want to hear it. _Couldn't_ hear it. She pushed a few stray hairs from her face and turned back to face Zelda again, who remained as blank as an empty page.

Midna sighed. "Are you going to ask me why?"

"I want to, yes." Zelda paused and looked off at the sunset before continuing. "But I know that there are always reasons that I will never understand. I know that there are things that will always remain a mystery." She glanced back at Midna, a small smile playing on her lips. "And you are exactly that."

"A mystery?" She rolled her eyes. "So mysterious that you knew exactly what my plans were." She paused, but kept her gaze focused on the sunset, wondering if this was her last night here. The sunsets were so vibrant, she was going to miss them when she returned to Twilight. To be honest, she was going to miss a lot more. "Are you going to stop me?"

Zelda shook her head. "It's not my decision to make… do I think it's the right one… I don't know. I understand your reasons, truly I do. But there will always be two sides of this coin, to deny that fact is asinine." Midna didn't even have to turn around to know that Zelda was giving her the same look as her grade-school tutor gave when she asked a silly question. She fought the urge to growl, she wasn't a child anymore.

"But the coin never sees its other side and goes on living peacefully." Midna glanced at Zelda, and waited for her response.

"That is true." Zelda started towards her tent, and Midna knew they had ended this conversation. Thank the Goddesses, Zelda was starting to grate on her nerves. Midna gathered her skirts and started back to her own tent, but paused when she heard Zelda clear her throat. "I will give my opinion on one thing though, Link deserves to know the truth."

Midna cringed. Of course she was going to say that. She sighed and turned to speak her mind, but Zelda had already retreated, leaving Midna with the icy ghost of her words. She fought with her pounding heart, as she stared at Link's tent, sitting in between the other two. He deserved to know the truth, Midna wouldn't deny that. After everything… she shoved a hand through her hair and sighed. After everything, she knew that there was a part of her that loved him.

Oh, who was she trying to fool? All of her loved him. Every single ounce of her soul called to be next to him, under his protection. When she closed her eyes, she saw his blue-lightning gaze staring back at her, emotion roiling under the surface like a hidden storm. A shiver ran down her spine and Midna pressed a hand against her heart, still pounding against her chest. It was no use denying what she knew was true: she was head-over-heels, stupidly and foolishly in love with a light dweller. Admitting that did nothing more than seal the fate of her already broken heart.

Midna slid her hand between the folds of Links tent and stepped into the darkness. She let her eyes adjust to the lack of light before turning to the figure lying peacefully on the straw mat that barely served as a bed. He looked positively _exhausted_. Not that Midna could blame him, he'd been to hell and back again… and for what? For her to go and rip out his heart? She shook her head and knelt down next to his sleeping form.

Maybe, for just one night, she would pretend that everything was going to be okay. Just one night couldn't harm her? And she laid her head on top of his bare chest, listening to the steady, drowsy sound of his heartbeat. Midna closed her eyes and started to feel slumber take over. Everyone had deserved a good night's rest, and at least here she was with the one she loved. That was enough for now.

Link groaned and Midna felt his muscles twitch as she started to peel back the layers of sleep. She jumped back up on her knees, feeling her face grow warm with embarrassment. Of course he would have woken up, he was probably the lightest, most anxious sleeper she knew. He blinked several times at her before sitting up. "Princess?"

Midna cringed under the formality and frowned. "Princess? I thought we were friends?"

Link jerked at her tone, and Midna saw a look of guilt pass across his face. "We are… that doesn't negate the fact that you're a princess." Trying to be discrete, he attempted to pull the blanket around his shoulders, covering up his bare skin. She wanted to tell him that it didn't matter, but kept quiet.

"Ah." Midna glanced at her hands, folded politely in her lap. What was she thinking coming here? Oh Goddess this was one of the stupidest decisions she had ever made. She pressed a hand to her forehead, hoping to shield her face from him.

"Um… if you don't mind me asking… what are you doing here?"

"I…" Midna felt his curious gaze burn into her and she let her hair shield her face even more. "I wanted to thank you… for everything you did for me and my kingdom. I…" She felt a shred of awkward and nervous laughter peel from her mouth. "I'm not exactly sure what else to say, except thank you." Her eyes finally met him, and a small, crooked smile peeled across his lips. Midna thought her heart would melt at the sight and she pulled away a little.

"I guess I don't know what to say to that." Link nervously rubbed the back of his head, and the blanket fell from his shoulders, exposing the lean, battle scarred muscles of his body. Midna's fingers itched to reach out and touch him, but she kept her hands in her lap. Link cocked his head to the side after a moment. "It almost sounds like you're saying good bye…"

She could hear the pain and confusion in his voice, and Midna looked away. She couldn't face this now, and she was stupid in thinking that she could. "I… no. Not yet."

"Midna…" The use of her name brought her eyes up to his, and she noticed he had moved a little closer to her. "Are you… leaving forever?"

"I don't know." Lie. Of course she knew. She knew that the mirror had to be destroyed, that their worlds would never be able to coexist. But she couldn't bear the thought of breaking his heart, and so she lied, which instead broke hers. "I don't know if I'll ever come back here…it's just, not where I belong."

Link looked away for a moment before glancing back at her. The world between them seemed to change, and Midna didn't want to face this new place. She wanted the old one back, the familiar world where they were friends, and there were no secrets between them. Link sighed. "And that's your decision? Is there any way to change your mind?"

Midna opened her mouth to say something crude, but a blush covered her face and she shook her head. Thank goodness she caught herself. "No… I can't stay here, Link."

He opened his mouth to say something, but blushed and looked away. The awkwardness between them was growing stifling. Link fidgeted before looking back at her, and Midna felt her heart sputter to a stop as she connected with that shockingly blue gaze of his. "I wish you would stay… at least for a little while."

Midna thought her stomach had fallen into the earth as he leaned close to her. His breath was warm on her lips and she wondered when she had stopped breathing. Link cupped her face in his rough, calloused hands and pressed his lips softly to hers. She leaned back and kissed him with a new intensity that she even found shocking. His fingers moved from her face to her hair, tilting her head just far enough to allow him better access to her mouth. She choked back a love-sick sigh as his tongue slipped into her mouth, tasting of sun drenched wheat and adventure.

Link pulled her closer, and they fell onto his straw mat, never breaking their kiss. Midna blushed at his bravery. She had never thought, in a million years, that her shy hero would ever kiss her so passionately. His hands roamed around her body gently, as if they were familiar with the wild, undiscovered path. He pulled away for a moment to look into her eyes, but Midna just pulled him back down to her again.

For this small moment, the world had melted away and she was okay with that. Who needed it anyway when you were tangled up in blue?

)O(

_I'm not exactly sure what I attempted to accomplish with this…? I was inspired by a piece of fan art called "To Slumber" by rinoaneko on deviantart, if you look her up I think you can find it. Anyway, I guess I just wanted to see a moment of sweetness between our two awkward heroes. Oh joy. Well, let me know what you think. Thanks again!_

_With Love Always: Xaph! _


End file.
